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Chip shortage halts 5 Stellantis plants as Suez trade blockage looms on horizon
A global shortage of microchips is halting production at five Stellantis NV plants in North America, including in Warren and Windsor, just as more supply issues potentially loom for the auto industry as a massive ship bloc theks Suez Canal in Egypt.
Starting Monday, the Stellantis plants will stop producing Jeep Cherokee and Compass SUVs, Ram 1500 Classic pickups and other Chrysler and Dodge vehicles through early to mid-April, according to the transatlantic automaker, which called the challenges "unprecedented."
Other locations impacted include Belvidere, Illinois; Brampton, Ontario; and Toluca, Mexico. Altogether, the five factories employ more than 18,500 hourly and salaried employees.
"Stellantis continues to work closely with our suppliers to mitigate the manufacturing impacts caused by the various supply chain issues facing our industry," spokeswoman Jodi Tinson said in a statement.
The insufficient supply of semiconductors used for automated driving functions, heated seats, infotainment systems and more in automobiles — as well as in consumer electronics — has shuttered auto plants for weeks and, in some cases, months without an easy solution.
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And now the Ever Given, a container ship longer than the Eiffel Tower that ran aground on Tuesday in the southern part of the Suez Canal, is stuck across the key international trade waterway despite efforts to release it. It is blocking passage of hundreds of other vessels.
"While parts and vehicles are moving through the Suez, the effect on the vehicle production can’t be measured at this point," Sam Fiorani, vice president of global forecasting for AutoForecast Solution LLC, said in an email, noting the situation has the potential to affect the industry for weeks.
"Many parts traveling through the canal could be resourced in the short-term with alternative, and more expensive, shipping methods. However, if the Ever Given is not dislodged soon, the costs will soar for the delayed parts and production could be slowed."
For now, too few microchips remain a battle for automakers. Stellantis had been producing its previous-generation, full-size Ram pickups in Warren as well as in Saltillo, Mexico, without the chips, holding them until more semiconductors become available.
Now, all production in Warren is halting through mid-April. The plant has not yet launched Jeep's new Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer SUVs, high-profile revivals that are supposed to launch in the second quarter.
Stellantis had shut down Windsor for three weeks in February because of the shortage, and it will be down for another four, according to a post on Facebook by Local 444 of Canadian labor union Unifor. The plant produces the Chrysler Pacifica as well as the Chrysler Voyager, which is branded the Dodge Grand Caravan in Canada.
The other plants also previously had some downtime due to the chip shortage. Belvidere's Jeep Cherokee was down for a week last month. Brampton produces the Dodge Challenger and Charger muscle cars as well as the Chrysler 300 sedan. The restart of Jeep Compass production at Toluca also had been delayed last month.
The supply constraint began in late 2020 after the COVID-19 pandemic shifted chip production to surging tech orders while automakers idled their plants. When consumer demand for automobiles came roaring back, most of the industry was scrambling for supply — a problem that could continue late into the year.
Last month, General Motors Co. said the shortage could hurt 2021 earnings by $1.5 to $2 billion, though it is working to protect profit-rich full-size truck and SUV production.
The Detroit automaker is halting production for the next two weeks starting Monday at its Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon midsize truck plant in Missouri. GM also extended downtime through the week of April 12 at its Lansing Grand River plant where the Chevrolet Camaro and Cadillac CT4 and CT5 are built. Production has been down there since March 15. Other plants in Kansas, Mexico and Brazil also have scheduled downtime.
Ford Motor Co. previously predicted a $1 billion to $2.5 billion hit to adjusted pre-tax earnings this year. The Dearborn automaker said its Dearborn Truck Plant producing its popular F-150 full-size trucks will be down Friday through Sunday. Other plants in Ohio, Kentucky and Kansas also have been affected.
A chip shortage and trade blockage in Egypt aren't the only challenges for automakers either. A severe winter storm caused a shortage of petrochemicals, disrupting some U.S. Toyota Motor Corp. production. Meanwhile, most of Honda Motor Co.'s North American production is affected this week and some next week as the Japanese automaker manages "the impact from COVID-19, congestion at various ports, the microchip shortage and severe winter weather."
Staff Writers Jordyn Grzelewski and Kalea Hall contributed.


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While bitcoin might not be the easiest software to master today, bitcoin R&D group Chaincode Labs believes it can help mitigate this issue by giving developers an option to learn in an environment that is more supportive and interactive than current online materials can offer.
Organizers said the final number of developers accepted will depend on the number of qualified applicants.
"It's really about picking a project that gives you ample room to understand the space," Corallo said, adding:
"You always hear a lot of people that want to contribute to the protocol, but find it to be really daunting. The motivation behind it is giving back to some extent and to improve the number and quality of people contributing to low-level protocol development in bitcoin."
But Corallo said that the mission is less about building a team of contributors and more about fostering a healthy learning experience.
"It's certainly not a quick process. It can take quite a while to learn all of the implications of all the ins and outs," he said.
Residency developers can investigate whatever interests them, meaning that any in a long list of projects that the Bitcoin Core development team has been working on can gain the benefit of extra contributors.
Corallo told CoinDesk:
Corallo noted that a developer's ability to support the open-source project now depends on his or her comfort with "in-depth incentive structures" and other subject areas that may require a certain nuance.
For more details about the program, view the full announcement here.
He mentioned that it took a couple of the current Bitcoin Core developers a year or so to contribute usefully, although they didn’t have the same one-on-one mentorship as offered by the residency.
"It's not necessarily about getting people to provide the most useful contributions in a month," he said.
As for what the program will entail, the organizers said the curriculum will consist of a series of talks on the bitcoin protocol but that it will be otherwise fairly loose.
As noted by Corallo, the program is in many ways an acknowledgement of the difficulties that the bitcoin ecosystem has had in onboarding new developers.
"Whatever people want to contribute to is fine, as long as it’s good for learning about bitcoin."
A bitcoin development training program will launch in New York City this September to teach new developers the basics of the protocol.
Developers image via Shutterstock
Notably, bitcoin developer and Blockstream co-founder Matt Corallo will take a leave of absence from his startup as part of a bid to support the effort.
Set the firm's headquarters in New York, the four-week "hacker residency" program aims to give developers an opportunity to work on projects that pique their interest starting 12th September.
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Bitcoin Price Rises by 5% to $3,740 as the Cryptocurrency Market Gradually Recovers
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— NBC: BT (NYSE: BT) Vision has struck a deal to make NBC Universal (NYSE: GE) movies available for hi-definition VOD on the IPTV platform. The service is available to HD TV owners without the kind of HD-specific monthly subscription charged by Sky and Virgin, just a £4.95 cost for each new movie, £2.95 for archive titles. Movies download to Vision’s V-box, with a 48-hour rental window.
— HBO: Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) has added HBO dramas like The Wire and Sex And The City to the TV section of its UK iTunes Store, C21 reports, ensuring a significant commitment to homegrown content continues to evade the platform. Shows from BBCWW, C4 and Sky One are rareties amongst a roster still heavy with US imports.
— Google: Google (NSDQ: GOOG) is trying to get ad agencies to trial UK TV ads that urge viewers to search for branded keywords. The trial would mimic Google’s 2006 partnership where ads invited viewers to “Google Pontiac”, for example. Google wants to gauge the effectiveness, NMA reports. If successful, it would suggest Google’s own brand is more powerful than recall for advertisers’ own URLs.


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Intel has been assigned the slot for the “baseband” wireless modem in some versions of the 7, taking share from Qualcomm, who’s has generally enjoyed a monopoly on iPhone modem chips.
Bernstein’s Stacy Rasgon, however, today reiterates a Market Perform rating on both Intel and Qualcomm shares, writing that there seems to be not much good news for either company here.
Like others, Rasgon notes that the amount of share Intel may take is at the high end of what the Street has been expecting:
But when the “iPhone 7″ was unveiled yesterday, during Apple’s press conference in San Francisco, some analysts started to reach the conclusion the loss for Qualcomm may be bigger than originally thought.
That is because Apple has chosen to segment the iPhone into some that have “CDMA,” the air interface standard developed and patented by Qualcomm, on the one hand, and other models that don’t have CDMA at all, which Intel is supplying.
That split of model configurations could lead to large batches of units that only get an Intel modem option, according to two analysts.
Shares of chip technology provider Ceva (CEVA) are up 13 cents, or 0.4%, at $31.98, after Intel (INTC) this morning said it would acquire competitor privately held Movidius, which specializes in things such as “computer vision.”
Intel’s Josh Wlden, senior VP for the company’s “New Technology Group,” details in the press release how the Movidius technology will be used in Intel’s “RealSense” technology, which can do such things as allow you to manipulate a user interface by moving your hand in front of a camera:
We see massive potential for Movidius to accelerate our initiatives in new and emerging technologies. The ability to track, navigate, map and recognize both scenes and objects using Movidius’ low-power and high-performance SoCs opens opportunities in areas where heat, battery life and form factors are key. Specifically, we will look to deploy the technology across our efforts in augmented, virtual and merged reality (AR/VR/MR), drones, robotics, digital security cameras and beyond. Movidius’ market-leading family of computer vision SoCs complements Intel’s RealSense™ offerings in addition to our broader IP and product roadmap.
Movidius CEO Remi El-Ouazzane also had some commentary on the significance of the deal.
Shares of chip giant Broadcom (AVGO) are down $4.41, or 2.5%, at $172.69, continuing last night’s late-trading losses, after the company yesterday afternoon reported fiscal Q3 results that topped analysts’ expectations, and forecast this quarter’s revenue higher, but said its revenue from set-top boxes had come in below expected.
There are no ratings changes today, that I can see, but there are several price target changes, and they’re going up today despite the stock’s drop.
While the set-top box unit saw some shortages, following delays in key networking chips in prior quarters — “Tomahawk” and “Jericho,” which are used by the likes of Cisco Systems (CSCO) and Arista Networks (ANET) — the bulls on the stock today see concerns about that as just a big over-reaction but the market:
Shares of Verizon Communications (VZ) are up 13 cents at $52.70, after the company late yesterday said its chief financial officer, Francis “Fran” Shammo will retire at the end of this year, and named as his replacement the head of finance for its wireless and wireline business units, Matthew Ellis.
Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam called Shammo “a tremendous leader.” He also lauded Ellis for having raised $49 billion in debt financing “in one day” to complete Verizon’s buyout of its wireless business from Vodafone (VOD).
Citigroup’s Michael Rollins, who has a Neutral on the stock, notes the company has a “deep bench of management,” but Ellis, who spent 15 years at Tyson Foods before coming to Verizon for only three years, has “global experience outside of the communications industry” that Rollins thinks “may bring additional perspectives to Verizon’s financial strategy over time.”
For the moment, Rollins believes the strategy is intact:
Verizon seems committed to remaining a national wireless-centric communications leader in the United States, choosing three categories to pursue new revenue opportunities: 1) Internet of Things; 2) Digital Media Advertising; and 3) 5G Fixed Wireless. We do not see any changes to strategy, execution, or target financial leverage relating to the recently announced management transitions in the near- or medium-term. At the same time, we will look to see if the some of the recent changes in executive roles impact the company’s ambitions to further optimize the existing asset portfolio, especially as it relates to the wireline operations. We like the opportunity for Verizon to improve its strategic positioning within the industry over the next 2-3 years, and remain Neutral on VZ shares.
Chip giant Broadcom (AVGO) this afternoon reported fiscal Q3 revenue and profit that topped analysts’ expectations, and forecast this quarter’s revenue higher, citing wireless business trends, though its shares slipped in late trading.
Revenue in the three months ended in July rose 7% from the prior quarter to $3.792 billion, or $3.802 billion, on a non-GAAP basis; that yielded EPS of $2.89.
Analsyts had been modeling $3.758 billion and $2.77 per share.
Gross profit margin was 60.4%, up from 60% in Q2, and down from 60.7% a year earlier, on a non-GAAP basis.
Broadcom’s sales into “wired infrastructure” were 54% of sales in the quarter, while wireless sales of $1.008 billion was 27%. Enterprise and storage made up 14% at $527 million.
For the current quarter, the company sees revenue of $4.1 billion, give or take $75 million, which is above consensus for $4.05 billion. Gross profit is expected in a range of 59.5% to 61.5%, on a non-GAAP basis.
CEO Hock Tan called the results “strong,” citing in particular the 7% rise in revenue from Q2’s level, and 14% rise in EPS, which he said was “a clear demonstration of the leverage inherent in our operating model.”
“We are expecting an even stronger performance in the fourth quarter, driven by robust growth in our wireless segment,” he added.
Broadcom management will host a conference call with analysts at 5 pm, Eastern time, this evening, and you can catch the webcast of it on the company’s investor relations home page.
Shares are down $4.56, or almost 3%, at $172.50.
Shares of radio-frequency tag technology maker Impinj (PI) are up $4.08, or almost 18%, at $26.90, after the company yesterday afternoon reported its first quarterly report since going public on July 21st, beating analysts’ expectations, and forecasting this quarter’s results higher as well.
The price today is nearly twice the IPO offer price of $14, and above the first-day close of $19.56.
Q2 revenue for the June-ending period of $26 million was up 35%, year over year, and EPS of 6 cents was better than the average 4-cent estimate.
For this quarter, the company sees revenue of $27.4 million to $28.9 million, and EPS of a penny to 9 cents. That compares ton consensus for $26.8 million and 4 cents a share.
The company also said it now expects to sell more “tags” than it previously thought, this year, raising its outlook to a range of 4.9 to 5.1 billion units from a prior range of 4.3 to 4.5 billion units.
Samsung Electronics (005930KS) this afternoon held an unveiling of the latest in its “Gear” line of smartwatches, at the IFA electronics trade show in Berlin. For those of us not able to make it to Germany, there was some hands-on time at Samsung’s retail store at 837 Washington Street in Manhattan’s Meat Packing District.
Today’s event comes just a week before Apple (AAPL) is expected to reveal its own update to the Apple Watch at a media event in San Francisco, a gadget which hasn’t seen any new models since the first one went on sale in April of 2015. Interestingly, although this announcement lands right on top of Apple Watch, Samsung has yet to announce the exact date of availability — sometime in Q4 is all the company says — nor has it announced pricing.
No doubt, there’s some advantage to first upstaging Apple and then waiting to see how Apple prices.
Samsung has put some real thought into aspects of industrial design and user interface with this new model.
Two models, actually: The “S3 Classic,” and the “S3 Frontier.”
The main distinctions are a matte finish to the metal in the Frontier, as opposed to the smooth metal polish of the Classic, and an included LTE wireless connection in the Frontier, which can be used anywhere without a phone, unlike the Bluetooth connection in the Classic. Both units sport a built-in GPS, so you can record on a map where you are running when you take the watches out for a jog
Both models maintain the Samsung approach of making a watch that more or less looks like a classic round watch.
You’ll be happy to know that the company has taken the “always-on” display it introduced with this year’s flagship phone, the “Galaxy S7,” and brought it to the watch. What that means is that you can keep a low-light version of the watch face displaying at all times, so there’s never a need to tap or press or move the watch to just check the time. In my experience, even under the bright light of the Samsung showroom, the always-on display was very clear, very sharp, very readable.
In the following two shots, you can see the Classic in its always-on mode, in the top pic, and once the display wakes up to the full view:
Samsung hasn’t said what the battery life will be using the always-on option. The watch, overall, is spec’d for four days in its bluetooth version, 3 days in its LTE version.
As you can tell from the close-up at the top of this page, a smartwatch display still looks like a computer graphic when it’s trying to emulate an analog watch face. But the quality has gotten better with each iteration of Gear, and I expect with future models, things like the hands and numbers will become more and more crisp, till they’re virtually indistinguishable from a mechanical watch face.
Having examined the original Gear, and the Gear S2, I noticed a definite improvement in the feeling of the quality of build and the mechanical aspects of the Gear S3. There are a variety of functions that are controlled not by touching the touch-sensitive screen, but rather by rotating the metal ring that surrounds the screen. This rotating ring lets you move from one function of the watch to another. Samsung has updated the functionality by letting you answer or reject a call by rotating the ring clockwise or counter-clockwise. The movement of the ring now feelings like something sophisticated, an elegant metal function, rather than a clunky afterthought, the way it did on the S2.
This kind of attention to detail is something new with the S3. In addition, the buttons on the Frontier have a textured finish to them for grip. In general, both models feel like very solid objects on one’s wrist, a kind of traditional chunky style that seems better realized here than what we’ve seen in the awkward smartwatch attempts of the Tag Heuers of the world.
Other tweaks include an ability to triple-tap one of the side buttons to send out one’s coordinates to contacts in the event of distress. Samsung is partnering with ADT, a firm that is a kind of OnStar equivalent, sending out first responders in events of emergency. Samsung’s Shoneel Kolhatkar, senior director for product strategy and planning for its Samsung Telecommunications America unit explained that the idea is that you’ll pay an extra fee and have ADT receive your distress signal and send help to where you are.
Kolhatkar explains the built-in LTE in the frontier is a response to user focus groups Samsung has conducted. People like the idea of being able to go out for a run, say, and not have to take their phone with them but still be able to message, track miles run, and make and receive calls.
And make payments: Samsung is bringing its “S Pay” service to the watch, which supports not only the NFC variant found in many smartwatches, but also “MST” mag-stripe technology. That mag-stripe technology is supported pretty much everywhere a card-swipe is supported, with gives Samsung compatibility with about 90% of point-of-sale locations in the U.S., the company tells me. Samsun claims to be the only firm with a payments technology supporting both NFC and mag-stripe, so it views that as a key advantage.
Another element in this round of Gear is the focus on fashion accessories. The company has modified the strap connections so that now they will support any standard watch band measuring 22-millimeters. That’s different from many watches, including Apple’s, where the band has to be a dedicated creation just for that device. A variety of handsome leather straps were on display.
Here are a couple more views of the Frontier:
With chip maker Broadcom (AVGO) set to report quarterly results this Thursday, September 1st, after the closing bell, the company’s fundamentals, and its potential to acquire other companies, are on many analysts’ minds.
Along with a note this morning from Citigroup’s Chris Danely, suggesting Broadcom could acquire Xilinx (XLNX), another fellow who’s pondering M&A is MKM Partners’s Ian Ing, who thinks Xilinx is one of the few remaining good deals to be had, the other two being Marvell Technology Group (MRVL) and Cavium (CAVM).
Ing, who has a Buy rating on Broadcom shares, and a $188 price target, writes that a merger with Qualcomm (QCOM) would be nice, he suggests, but such a deal would be unlikely to get approval:
Investors now focus on how quickly they can do another accretive acquisition. Our concerns center around the lack of remaining attractive deals available, given the framework of asset-light and OEM customer focus. Only Xilinx (XLNX, Neutral, $54.18, $52 FV), Marvell Technology (MRVL, Neutral, $12.27, $14 FV) and Cavium, Inc. (CAVM, NR, $55.27) remain as other companies with fabless manufacturing models have already been consolidated. A merger of equals between QUALCOMM (QCOM, NR, $62.97) and AVGO makes sense, in our view (as a next major industry consolidation step and meet’s AVGO’s requirements), but powerful smartphone customers may not embrace a single supplier across both “digital baseband” and RF content. Our estimates suggest they comfortably achieve a
His overall view on Broadcom is subdued, given that “catalysts on the horizon appear less powerful. Broadcom Limited now has greater end-market diversification, limited accretive deals available, and exposure to seemingly annual Apple iPhone sell- through risk.”
Wireless chip maker Skyworks Solutions (SWKS) this afternoon named semiconductor veteran Chris Sennesael its chief financial officer, replacing Donal Palette, who is retiring. Palette will serve in an advisory capacity as Sennesael takes over.
Skyworks CEO Liam Griffin said Sennesael would help as “take Skyworks to the next level of financial outperformance.” He lauded Palette, CFO since 2007, for having created a “strong financial foundation.”
Skyworks shares are unchanged in late trading at $75.22.
Tech Trader Daily is a blog on technology investing written by Barron’s veteran Tiernan Ray. The blog provides news, analysis and original reporting on events important to investors in software, hardware, the Internet, telecommunications and related fields. Comments and tips can be sent to: firstname.lastname@example.org.


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STALKER 2 developer GSC Game World has teamed with Ukrainian supermarket chain Silpo, in opening a new STALKER-themed Silpo grocery store in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Inside the STALKER-themed Silpo grocery store you'll find artwork, props, and even foodstuffs themed from STALKER. Walking around, and shopping in the supermarket must feel like you're literally in the middle of a store inside of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.
Not only is there the regular grocery shopping area of the STALKER-themed Silpo grocery store, but there's a shop called "Vlasna Confectionary" that sells coffee, drinks, pizza, pastries, and sweets to eat and drink while they're shopping. There's also a "Traditional Shop" that sells products that were manufactured by Ukrainian companies.
- Read more: This is our very first look at STALKER 2 -- with in-game footage shown
- Read more: STALKER 2 developers join Ukrainian armed forces to fight Russians
- Read more: STALKER 2 gets a massive delay to the very end of 2022
The companies have plans to eventually add more decorations inside of the supermarket, including artistic recreations of the mutants found in STALKER as well as the supernatural anomalies you find while walking around in The Zone in STALKER.
As for GSC Game World and the development of STALKER 2, it was expected to be released this year in 2022 but the game was pushed back to 2023 on the Xbox and PC. The on-going Russia conflict in Ukraine has affected development of STALKER 2, just like it did with the STALKER-themed Silpo grocery store.
The plans for the STALKER grocery store started in the summer of 2021, but with issues between Russia and Ukraine saw GSC Game World and Silpo postpone their work on the STALKER grocery store. After those delays we're now here, with the store officially opened for consumers and gamers alike to go check it out in Kyiv, Ukraine.
In a follow-up tweet, the official STALKER Twitter account said that the game will be released in 2023... but I'm sure as hell (or should that be Chernobyl and nuclear fire) that things could slip. I'm sure it'll ship in not-the-greatest shape as it is, like most AAA games have been doing for years. Still, I'd love to check out the STALKER-themed grocery store one day, very cool to see.


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After causing the tomato industry to lose an estimated $100 million, health investigators have essentially recanted their contaminated tomato theory and have focused their attention on jalapeño peppers. The Baltimore Sun reports that new interviews with salmonella victims have revealed that many of them ate salsa containing jalepeños. Other common Mexican food ingredients such as cilantro are also being investigated, however, no new samples have tested positive for salmonella. Details, inside…
The article says,
The outbreak, which began 12 weeks ago, is believed to be the largest of its kind, and new cases continue to emerge. It has sickened more than 920 people across the country, up from 756 one week ago, and sent more than 110 to the hospital. In Maryland, 29 people have been confirmed to have the illness, which can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, and, in severe cases, death.
In late May, investigators began focusing on tomatoes as the probable source of the outbreak. But they expanded their investigation last week, asking 100 labs around the country to help, because the number of new infections kept growing despite the short shelf life of tomatoes and warnings to avoid certain varieties.
Delays in pinpointing the cause of the outbreak have frustrated consumers, angered the produce industry and prompted members of Congress to call for food safety reforms.
“How sad is that? We can’t even really figure out what it is,” said Rep. Diana DeGette, a Colorado Democrat who has proposed food tracking and mandatory recall measures. “We’ve had the same problem with other products in past years, which shows us the food safety system in this country is outdated and underfunded.”
Chile peppers are largely grown in Mexico, Central America and warm weather U.S. states such as Florida. Food-safety specialists said jalapenos are not a common cause of bacterial outbreaks and counseled caution about rushing to judgment that the peppers are responsible for this one.
Contaminated green chile peppers in Colorado sickened 80 people in 1998 and 60 in 2001, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, which tracks food-borne illnesses. Neither outbreak involved salmonella bacteria.
A likely source of jalepeno contamination is the water used to irrigate plants or wash peppers after they’re picked, said Robert B. Gravani, a food science professor at Cornell University.
Any wagers on which food will get hit next on the FDA’s dart board?


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The 2021 Kia Carnival. Image: Supplied
The 2021 Kia Carnival. Image: Supplied
Joining the wave of carmakers who are paying increasing attention to vehicle cabins and the role they play in the overall driver and passenger experience, South Korean automaker Kia this week unveiled its new-look interior for the next generation Kia Carnival.
While known as the Carnival in its domestic and other markets, Kia’s fourth-generation and flaship minivan is known as the Grand Sedona in South Africa, and in other countries.
The all-new, next-generation Grand Sedona will be launched in South Africa in 2021.
And while more details around the Sedona, including the specifications for the South African market along with powertrains and transmissions, will be released closer to the local launch date, Kia’s Carnival reveal provides more than a taste of what’s to come.
Shown here in Korean specifications guise, the Asian manufacturer said this week that its Carnival offered a number of new stand-out features.
These include the futuristic and versatile interior for the new minivan and a spacious, comfortable and futuristic interior — thanks to “Spatial Talents” design concept.
A panoramic dashboard display with haptic touch control, intelligent packaging and comfortable seating across three or four rows and best-in-class cargo space and practical storage areas for passengers complete the list of headline attributes.
Directed at the “young family” market, Kia believes the new Carnival delivers an unrivaled combination of innovation, flexibility and style, all designed to satisfy both driver and passengers.
“Like its predecessor, the Carnival boasts significant levels of space for passengers in all rows.
“Designers have created a greater sense of roominess inside, combined with a renewed sense of modernity and style. The new Carnival provides passengers in all rows with a futuristic, relaxed space in which to spend journeys,” said Kia.
“The interior of the fourth-generation Carnival represents an increase in quality and design over its predecessor, with a futuristic new cabin for the 2020s.
The high-tech ambiance is most obvious in its wide, wrap-around dashboard, with a high fascia that is elegant in its simplicity and cutting-edge in the array of features it offers,” said the automaker.
Commenting that the dashboard seamlessly integrates dual-screen infotainment technologies with haptic touch controls, placing the driver in command of their very own cockpit, Kia said the dash itself is accented by high-tech two digital displays all under one piece of glass.
“It links Kia’s latest 12.3-inch digital driver instrument cluster and 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment and navigation system. This display provides a wide variety of useful information across its 12.3-inch split screens.”
“Many infotainment functions can be controlled using touch-sensitive buttons around the screen, with a similar panel further down the center console for the climate control system.
“A shift-by-wire dial for the transmission at the base of the center console further expresses the new Carnival’s sense of technology and modernity,” explained Kia.
The manufacturer said the minivan boasts “an abundance” of intelligent interior packaging and cabin storage area.
“The Carnival’s 22-year heritage is one of spaciousness and versatility, and the new model takes this to the max, based on the ‘Spatial Talents’ interior design concept created by Kia’s design teams,” it said, adding that the latest-generation Carnival benefits from a longer wheelbase, a longer rear overhang, and a wider body.
Accordingly, said Kia, the result is more interior space for passengers in all three or four rows.
“Depending on the market, the Carnival offers owners three or four-row seating configurations, with space for seven, nine or 11 occupants in total.
In its popular seven-seat configuration, the Carnival boasts Kia’s reclining “captain’s chairs” for second-row occupants, with adjustable backrests, armrests and leg rests providing “business class” seating for comfort on long journeys.”
Kia said the new model “excels at providing practical storage options for occupants, with a range of new features for stowing, supporting and even charging electronic devices and smaller items”.
Second-row occupants get access to back-of-seat USB chargers, storage nets for mobile devices, and a new storage drawer in the base of the rear console, with a tray for storing tablets or phones above a larger storage area.
“The Carnival’s 30mm longer wheelbase (up to 3,090mm) and 10mm wider body (up to 1,995 mm) further enhances utility for families and professionals.
“The overall length of the new Carnival grows by 40mm to 5,155mm, with a 30mm longer rear overhang (up to 1,130mm), creating more space for third-row passengers and best-in-class luggage space with it,” concluded Kia.


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By Mira Oberman (AFP) – 13 hours ago
CHICAGO — The US transportation chief's public rebukes of Toyota's handling of a massive safety recall have raised eyebrows, given the US government's major stake in rivals General Motors and Chrysler.
"The optics are terrible because -- and this is what happens when a government owns a company - the two companies that are going to gain the most out of this are General Motors and Chrysler," said Peter Morici, a professor at the University of Maryland's business school.
"But their behavior is consistent with the general policy of the US government, whether it's dealing with coffeemakers or cars."
Safety officials understand that product design mistakes are inevitable and will work to help companies correct the problem and alert consumers. But they will not tolerate a slow or weak response, Morici told AFP.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood sat down with reporters Wednesday to lay out a timeline of how US officials had "pushed Toyota to take corrective actions" on its pedal problems since 2007.
The meeting came a day after he issued a statement accusing the Japanese automaker of dragging its feet on recalling vehicles in danger of sudden, unintended acceleration due to pedals which could get trapped under floor mats or become "sticky."
He also caused a brief panic when he told a congressional panel that owners of 5.3 million Toyota vehicles affected by the recalls should "stop driving" them.
LaHood later sought to tone down his remarks, telling reporters: "What I meant to say and what I thought I said was if you own one of these cars or if you're in doubt, take it to the dealer and they're going to fix it."
But he insisted that safety officials "will continue to hold Toyota's feet to the fire to make sure that they are doing everything they have promised to make their vehicles safe."
Legislators meanwhile signaled that they would expand their probe, demanding answers on why Toyota's Tacoma trucks -- which have a different pedal assembly than the 5.3 million vehicles recalled -- were also experiencing problems with sudden, unintended acceleration.
Toyota's top US official, Yoshimi Inaba, is set to testify at a congressional hearing Wednesday.
LaHood's strong initial comments could cause some "hysteria, but to some extent, we are such a litigious society, he has no choice but to say that because of the lawsuits that are lined up," said Rebecca Lindland, an analyst with IHS Global Insight.
"If one more person is killed, they can say that the government didn't act; Toyota did not act."
Weston Konishi, an expert on Japan at the Mansfield Foundation think-tank, said he doubted either Washington or Tokyo wanted the Toyota flap to escalate.
"Toyota is now a real stakeholder in the US economy -- think of its auto plants and jobs -- so trying to score points against it would be somewhat self-defeating," he added.
Konishi said he could only see Toyota becoming the governments' business if the company cut off contracts with US manufacturers due to lack of confidence in quality control after the problems with the US-made pedals.
David Champion, director of automobile testing for Consumer Reports magazine, said the reaction to the recall was overblown.
"When you look at the statistics we are putting an awful lot of effort on a very small risk," he said.
"There has been something like 2,000 complaints of unintended acceleration in some 20 million Toyota vehicles -- it's almost like trying to find a needle in a haystack."
Champion lamented as "unfortunate" that it took the death of an off-duty California state trooper and three members of his family to prompt Toyota to issue a mass recall in September to address the problem.
But he said a congressional investigation was an "overreaction" and noted that the "sticky" pedal problem that caused Toyota to halt production and sales of eight models last month was not linked to any accidents or injuries.
"I'm sure it's going to hurt Toyota in the short term over the next year or so," Champion said.
"But if their products are as good as they have been in the past, we're going to see that Toyota's going to bounce back as Ford has from the Firestone (tire recall) fiasco."


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Amazon inducts custom-built EVs into European fleet
Retail giant Amazon has started adding its custom-built electric vehicles to its European delivery fleet, the company announced on Tuesday. In a statement, Amazon said it would add 300 of the vans to operations in Germany over the coming weeks, starting with the cities of Munich, Berlin and Dusseldorf.
Amazon's custom delivery vans are designed by the US EV maker Rivian. The e-tailer says the vans have been designed from the ground-up, with safety, sustainability, and comfort in mind, and thoroughly tested by drivers. The company began rolling out the custom vans in the US last year, and has so far integrated more than 3,000 vans in over 500 US cities and regions. The European version of its van is shorter and thinner than the US version, to better fit into Europe's cities, which often have narrower and winding streets.
Amazon has said it plans to have 100,000 electric delivery vans from Rivian on the road globally by 2030, as part of its attempt to reduce carbon emissions. The company last year announced that it would invest more than €1 billion to electrify its European transportation network, earmarking €400 million for that for Germany. It has also been adding charging stations at its facilities across Europe to ensure support for EV deliveries.
In the statement, Amazon noted that last year, it used zero-emission vehicles, including electric vans and micro-mobility solutions like e-cargo bikes, e-scooters, and walkers, to deliver more than 120 million packages across Europe.


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President Joe Biden signed the CHIPS and Science Act on Tuesday, writing into regulation the $280 billion bundle that features $52 billion in funding to spice up US home semiconductor manufacturing.
“Immediately is a day for builders. Immediately, America’s delivering,” Biden mentioned in the course of the White Home signing ceremony on Tuesday. “The CHIPS and Science Act is a as soon as in a era funding in America itself.”
The bipartisan deal to revive American innovation in opposition to rising Chinese language technological dominance comes amid an ongoing world semiconductor scarcity. The scarcity has develop into an incentive for producers like Intel to put money into new vegetation to fulfill the rising demand for tech merchandise like laptops and smartphones worldwide. However US officers worry that with out authorities intervention, chip producers will proceed to offshore new foundries to China, leaving little room for the US to revenue off of an trade it pioneered a long time in the past.
These fears have been practically actualized after Intel approached the US Commerce Division with a proposal to take over an deserted manufacturing unit in China someday this yr, based on a latest report from The New York Occasions. The Occasions confirmed that Intel suspended the plan, however firm’s conversations with the administration pressured lawmakers to behave on the chips funding invoice forward of their August recess.
Late final month, the Home and Senate accepted the CHIPs and Science Act after practically two years of negotiations and political infighting. Amongst its investments in American scientific analysis, it consists of $52 billion in subsidies to encourage chip producers to construct out semiconductor fabrication vegetation, or “fabs,” within the US.
Commerce Division Secretary Gina Raimondo in July warned that the US might miss out on the semiconductor trade’s rush to supply extra chips. “Semiconductor corporations have to get ‘concrete within the floor’ by this fall to fulfill this elevated demand within the years forward,” Raimondo mentioned in a letter with Secretary of Protection Lloyd Austin final month, based on CNN. “CEOs of corporations all alongside the provision chain have made clear that the trade is deciding the place to speculate now.”
Tuesday’s funding authorization brings Intel and different chipmakers one step nearer to constructing out vegetation in states like Ohio and Arizona, initiatives which might be reliant on the subsidies.


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Electrify America is the Volkswagen-bankrolled organization that exists to atone with regulators for the automaker’s diesel scandal, and it’s gearing up to install thousands of chargers across the United States in an effort that is expected eventually to outdo Tesla’s Supercharger network as the biggest vehicle-charging infrastructure buildout ever.
A Brand-Agnostic and (Mostly) Future-Proof Network
The network is being set up to be able to provide the charging speeds that new EVs will need for the next 10 years and beyond—in a brand-agnostic way, as required by the settlement. Electrify America said it will do the actual installations but use a range of charging hardware.
First comes the installation of more than 2800 Level 2 charging stations—capable of recovering 20 to 25 miles of range per hour for most EVs. They will be located at workplaces, apartments, and condos in 17 of the largest U.S. metro areas by 2019. Following that, on a somewhat longer timeline, is the installation—in California plus 38 other states—of more than 2000 Level 3 fast chargers that can recharge compatible vehicles most of the way in less than an hour.
While most of the fast chargers will be capable of charging to the CHAdeMO standard (used by the Nissan Leaf, the Kia Soul EV, and a few others) or to the CCS standard that’s becoming more widely used, many of the fast chargers will be capable of even speedier 150-kW CCS use—which many future models, such as the Audi e-tron and the Jaguar I-Pace, will be able to take advantage of.
To help manage the vast network, Electrify America is turning to the charging-technology company Greenlots, which has a dashboard to allow monitoring of charger health, use data, and maintenance needs. Through the interface, the VW company also in the future could take advantage of dynamic pricing and could manage charging speeds and grid loads.
Although the organization is still fine-tuning its installation plan, it’s aiming to get the majority in place by June 2019. Over a total of 10 years, Electrify America needs to spend $2 billion nationally, including $800 million in California, on infrastructure and awareness. And these projects are only part of the first $500 million, so you can bet there are plenty more chargers yet to come.


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We heard it from our guys on the ground at South by Southwest as they were walking offstage. The AP Timeline Reader created by Vectorform won the SXSW Interactive Award for Technical Achievement.This means our work is officially the digital experience that is “re-inventing and re-defining the technical parameters of our online experience,” according to SXSW.
The HTML5/CSS3 experience is a revolutionary way to visualize, customize, and consume the news. We were anticipating a win, as were our friends over at Business 2 Community, but it is always a great feeling to have an award in-hand. Dominic Espinosa, Vectorform’s man on the ground, picked up the award. Fitting, as he was lead interaction designer on The AP Timeline Reader, and also because he also led the all-new, much-loved Vectorform project Foursquare Playground, which debuted yesterday to celebrate the launch of Internet Explorer 9 . Our entire team is thrilled by the win. “Yea, that’s right, baby!” Espinosa says.
We’re proud to be recognized with this award, and delighted to take some time to recognize the amazing work being done by our team. But now its back to work, because the thing about re-invention is that it never, ever stops.
#bestjobever!Administrator – March 14, 2011
As you may have heard, The AP Timeline Reader we created in HTML5 for The Associated Press, is up for an award for technical achievement, but we’ve had a few surprises brewing for South By Southwest. Today we will debut Foursquare Playground and turn a social network of text and images into a stylish isometric perspective–to celebrate the release of IE9, and foursquare’s (awesome) new API. Later in the week we will unveil our latest brand experience for the Fiat 500 at the world-famous FADER FORT by FIAT, to let car and music lovers blend brand assets, FADER media, and user generated content into one of the world’s largest vision-based interactive mosaics, using a Kinect sensor and motion sensing technologies with Windows 7.
We’ve got that and more going on at this year’s SXSW, so check back here, or follow us on Twitter — and watch the video below.
Want more information? Request a copy of our press release here.Administrator – March 10, 2011
Vectorform created The AP Timeline Reader in collaboration with The Associated Press and Microsoft. Now the HTML5 site is up for a Technical Achievement Award at South by Southwest, which means our project is one of five recognized as “…re-inventing and re-defining the technical parameters of our online experience.”
How do we go about re-inventing and redefining the technical parameters of online experience? HTML5, CSS3, and pure UX magic. Hear master magician Dominic Espinosa talking about the AP Timeline Reader below, or wander over to Renee DeCoskey’s detailed overview at Business 2 Community. News reading reinvented, and it’s got pictures!
Lindsay Lamb – September 20, 2010
Just recently Vectorform’s Dominic Espinosa gave an interview with Microsoft. Watch the interview from the link below and learn about Dominic’s experience developing an interactive website for the Associated Press, which takes full advantage of the latest web standards and technologies supported in Internet Explorer 9.


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KUCHING: Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Industrial Terminal and Entrepreneur Development (MINTRED) is spearheading Sarawakian companies’ presence in ANUGA 2019 trade fair in Cologne Germany as an effort to promote local innovative Food and Beverages (F&B) products to the European market.
The event which has started on October 5, 2019 will end on October 9, 2019.
ANUGA (Allgemeine Nahrungs Und Genußmittel Ausstellung) is German Universal and Beverage Exhibition and is the world’s leading, large scale trade fair and one of the most important meeting points of the food and beverage industry that offers the best opportunities to network worldwide.
This year ANUGA is celebrating its 100 years anniversary.
With around 7,500 exhibitors from 106 countries, Anuga 2019 once again set a new record number of exhibitors.
Around 165,000 trade visitors from all over the world are expected.
Anuga is exclusively open to trade visitors.
More than 50 Malaysian companies are participating in ANUGA and 3 Sarawakian companies under the coordination of MINTRED are among them.
YB Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, Deputy Chief Minister, who is also Minister for MINTRED, is encouraging more Sarawakian companies to join the event in the future.
YB Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, Deputy Chief Minister also attended the ANUGA Opening Ceremony by German Minister for Food and Agriculture, Julia Klöckner on the first day of the event, October 5, 2019.
The German Minister for Food and Agriculture, Julia Klöckner, emphasised that the trade fair provides answers to the questions on the future of our food.
“It is about appreciation for the work of those who are ensuring that safe and high-quality foodstuffs are finding their way into our shopping baskets and onto our plates. Appreciation presupposes knowledge in advance – in this connection ANUGA has been an excellent platform for a century.”
According to Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan in his exclusive interview to Bernama, Malaysia News Agency based in New York by its International Correspondent, Manik Mehta, Sarawak food products have a strong value proposition which resonates well with the European buyers.
“The growing popularity of Halal products also offered opportunities for Sarawak companies to reach out to the buyers in Europe who are constantly looking for Halal products to cater to the growing Muslim population living in Europe”.
“It is for this reason Sarawak is developing the whole value chain of Halal industry because Sarawak has huge landmass that can cater for upstream, midstream and downstream business activities.”
“Our initiatives to develop the food industry will help the world to feed 10 billion people in the future.
Our focus on precision farming and biotechnology will also provide innovative solutions for the current challenges of the industry, because themes like sustainability, environmental as well as climate protection have to be reconciled with the wishes of the customers.”
Meanwhile, MINTRED is collaborating closely with MATRADE to initiate continuous promotion in the region in order to expand our manufacturers’ presence in the European Union (EU).
The delegation comprises YB Datuk Mohd Naroden Majais Assistant Minister for International Trade and Industry, Industrial Terminal and Entrepreneur Development (MINTRED), YBhg. Datu Liaw Soon Eng, Permanent Secretary MINTRED and other MINTRED senior officials namely Mr. Kameri Haji Affandi, Mr. Lester Matthew and Tuan Haji Zukkarnain Haji Rosli.
Accompanying them are Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) Investment Consul, Frankfurt, Yusri Hasnan Chu Abu Bakar and Director MATRADE Sarawak, Leany Mokhtar.


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Are you a member of Taco Bell Rewards? If you have not discovered that convenient way to pay and order your favorite Taco Bell menu items, it is time to add that app to the smart device. And, to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the program, Taco Bell Rewards is giving its guests a huge reward. Could you win free tacos for a year?
Being a Taco Bell Rewards member has its privileges. Besides earning discounts and benefits from the program, Taco Bell has used the platform to give its members early access to new and returning menu items. In some ways, the program was a celebration of food fandom as it was a convenient food ordering option.
According to Taco Bell Chief Digital Officer, Zipporah Allen, “If there’s one thing the Rewards program taught us in the first year, it’s how eager our fans are for even more digitally enabled and personalized ways to gain access to the brand. We’re excited to create a better experience for our team members and fans in the coming years — Rewards will be a big piece of that.”
The guest connection was multi-faceted. From the myraid of customized ordering options via the app to the rewards for brand loyalty, that single platform enhanced the convenience and could have spurred more orders. When the “what food to order” question is on the table, often the easiest option is just as important as a food craving.
To celebrate the one year anniversary of Taco Bell Rewards program, the brand is giving 100 people free tacos for a year. Given all the various taco flavor combinations on the menu, it might be possible to order a new type of taco at least every day of the month.
According to Taco Bell, the terms are as follows: “Now through August 18, Rewards members will be able to enter to win free tacos for a year when they make an in-restaurant purchase and scan the barcode on their receipt in the Taco Bell app. Once they scan their barcode, they will receive an entry code via email which they can use to enter the sweepstakes. Customers can enter once per day.”
Given that 100 people will win, it just might be you or someone you know that gets this tasty prize. And, even if you don’t win, everyone is a winner with the Taco Bell Rewards program. From exclusive menu items to other rewards, there is always a reason to make another run to Taco Bell.
What restaurant reward program do you think is the best? Do these types of restaurant programs entice you to make another order?


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Netlify Presents Jammies Awards to Pillars of the Jamstack Ecosystem
Winners of the third annual Jammies demonstrate the vast possibilities of what web developers can build with Jamstack
The Jammies showcase cutting-edge projects and new products built using Jamstack, the architectural approach that decouples the web experience layer from data and business logic, improving flexibility, scalability, performance and maintainability1. The awards also recognize community members who are dedicated to driving the Jamstack ecosystem forward.
"The Jammies exemplify the impactful work happening across the global Jamstack ecosystem," said Matt Biilmann, co-founder and CEO, Netlify. "It's inspiring to see how these developers, tech providers, agencies, and creators are using Jamstack to shape the future of the web."
Because the Jammies were designed by and for the Jamstack community, the winners were decided via a public vote. The 2022 Jammies honorees are:
Netlify is the platform your developers love for building highly-performant and dynamic websites, e-commerce stores and web apps. By uniting an extensive ecosystem of technologies, services and APIs into one workflow, Netlify unlocks new levels of team productivity, while saving time and money.
As pioneers of the Jamstack movement, Netlify brings together all modern web frameworks, serverless functions and edge computing into one platform to deliver unmatched user experiences. Millions of developers and businesses build with Netlify, from Fortune 500 companies like Unilever and Verizon to companies changing our digital experiences like Peloton and Twilio. Get started for free at netlify.com.
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/netlify-presents-jammies-awards-to-pillars-of-the-jamstack-ecosystem-301672504.html
What You Need to Know to Keep Your Clients Secure
Conference Boxed Lunches - For Diamond, Platinum, Super Pass, Exhibitor/Conference, Speaker, Press Pass Holders
What's Your Microsoft Teams Strategy?


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An all-new Nissan Frontier pickup truck is big news. The popular midsize pickup has not received a total makeover — until now. We at America on the Road are among the first journalists to drive and review the vehicle. And at the same time Host Jack Nerad had the chance for a lengthy sit-down interview with Nissan’s Randy Dale, the chief product planner for the Frontier.
In the car review segment Co-Host Chris Teague subjected the Toyota Avalon to his Down East style of vehicle testing. It turns out that Toyota is dropping the Avalon model, so this might be the last road test to be heard on America on the Road.
Also in the road test segment, Jack Nerad gives his opinions on the Ford Mustang GT. Is it the best-buy in the extensive Mustang model range? Or does the recently introduced Mach 1 model deserve that honor? Jack and Chris will answer those questions and more.
In the news, research firm AutoPacific has announced its findings in the annual New Vehicle Satisfaction Survey of 89,000 new car and light truck owners. Now in its 25th year, the VSAs identify the most satisfying vehicles on the market as rated by the consumer. We’ll tell you what the most satisfying vehicle is and which brands did best in their survey. Just a hint: there were several surprises.


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Santana’s “Supernatural” logged its third consecutive week at No. 1 on the U.S. pop album charts and reached a record one-week haul of just under 200,000 copies sold, the group’s Arista Records label said Wednesday.
The veteran fended off some major new releases but is expected to fall prey next week to Mariah Carey’s “Rainbow,” which went on sale Tuesday. The latest top 10 chart includes debuts from Master P, Stone Temple Pilots, LeAnn Rimes and Alan Jackson.
Master P’s “Only God Could Judge Me” opened at No. 2, with sales of close to 150,000 units, the rap mogul’s No Limit Records label said. His previous release, “MP Da La Last Don,” sold 495,000 copies in its first full week at No. 1 in June 1998.
Stone Temple Pilots’ “No. 4,” opened at No. 6 with 120,400 units sold.
Rimes’ self-titled album opened at No. 8 with sales of 115,300 copies. Her last release, “You Light Up My Life,” debuted at No. 1 with 186,000 units sold in September 1997.
Jackson’s “Under the Influence” clinched the No. 9 spot with close to 115,000 units sold.Also debuting this week was Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s “Looking Forward” at No. 26.


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Mahindra & Mahindra reported a better-than-expected 63 per cent surge in first-quarter profit on Tuesday, underpinned by robust sales.
Standalone profit after tax, which does not include share of profit from its unit Mahindra Vehicle Manufacturers, stood at Rs 1,221 crore ($177.50 million) for the quarter ended June 30, compared with Rs 749 crore a year earlier.
Analysts on average expected a quarterly profit of Rs 1,174 crore, according to Thomson Reuters.
Revenue from operations grew over nine per cent to Rs 13,520 crore.
Mahindra & Mahindra shares rose as much as 1.2 per cent in intraday trade on Tuesday.
At 2:15 pm, Mahindra & Mahindra stock were trading 0.2 per cent higher at Rs 934.10 apiece on the NSE, whose benchmark index Nifty was up 16 points, or 0.15 per cent, at 11,404.
($1 = Rs 68.79)


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Microsoft has just announced a new partnership with Valve VR.
Following on from last week's Oculus Rift announcement, Microsoft's Kudo Tsunoda took the stage to announce a new partnership with Valve on Valve VR.
"We will be working closely with Valve to make Windows 10 the best platform for VR gaming," reads the press release.
Tsunoda did not elaborate what this will mean for the new VR headset. More will likely be revealed later today.
Valve's VR headset, called Vive, is the only one to slated for release in 2015.


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Volvo Cars’ certain movement continued in Apr as a reward automobile builder reported a tellurian year-on-year sales boost of 12.2 for a month, flourishing in all a categorical markets. Total sales for a month reached 52,635 cars compared to 46,895 a year earlier.
Sales of a new XC40, recently crowned Car of a Year in Europe, as good as a 90-series cars were a categorical expansion drivers in April. In a initial 4 months of 2018, sales amounted to 200,042 cars, adult 13.6 per cent compared to a same duration final year.
In China, Volvo Cars’ largest market, sales augmenting by 20.2 per cent following clever patron direct for a locally constructed XC60 SUV and S90 sedan. Total sales for a month reached 10,442 cars, adult from 8,687 cars a year ago.
Sales in Europe reached 26,360 cars in April, augmenting by 3.1 per cent compared with final year on a behind of good opening for a XC40, XC60 and 90-series cars.
The US marketplace continued doing good in April, flourishing by 17.0 per cent compared with a same month final year to 8,333 cars after clever sales of Volvo’s SUV line-up.
Retail sales standing (deliveries to finish customers) for Volvo Car Group is as follows:
Globally, a new Volvo XC60 was a best-selling indication in Apr with 14,840 cars sole (2017: N/A), followed by a Volvo XC90 with 7,241 cars sole (6,397). The Volvo V40/V40 Cross Country was third with 6,519 sole cars (7,577). Sales total by indication can be found in a Sales Volumes territory of a Global Newsroom.
*Automotive World is not obliged for a calm of this news release.


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A top Microsoft executive defended desktop application software, the source of the company's revenue for three decades, arguing that even services-based companies such as Google still need it.
Software: Market Reports
Facebook has become such a popular social networking site that some companies are betting their businesses on it.
The Synnex Alliance event has become a major part of the calendar for channel businesses operating in both the enterprise and commercial space. Its strength as an event is the way it allows partners to gauge dominant trends and derive insights on how to tackle opportunities in the market.. Read more


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ADVANC opened up its AIS Next G service to run on all makes of Android smartphones. The company’s Next G app allows the company to penetrate 15 million Android smartphone users. The company expects revenue to grow 7-8% this year. (Kao Hoon, 8/6/18)
AGE expects operations to be good in 2Q18 as coal price reached US$100/ton. It has already stocked more than 800,000 tons of coal for delivery in 2Q18-3Q18. The company expects revenue to increase 2025% this year. (Kao Hoon, 8/6/18)
AIT plans to bid for large projects worth Bt20bn and has backlog of Bt2.827bn. It expects recovery in 2Q18 earnings, backed by an improvement in margin. (Kao Hoon, 8/6/18)
Comment: Could it finally be time for AIT and SAMTEL?
BM expects 2Q18 earnings to be good and its 2018 revenue to increase more than 20%. It just got a new order for 900 tons worth Bt200mn. (Kao Hoon, 8/6/18)
DRT launched a new product, Diamond Block, which is light brick. It expects 2018 revenue to grow 5%, in line with the industry. (Kao Hoon, 8/6/18)
Comment: I do wonder if the businesses for both DRT and DCC have stabilised yet.
FTE will open a new branch in Rayong at the end of June to support its industrial estate clients. It maintains its revenue target of Bt1.08bn (+10%) this year. It has backlog of Bt350mn, of which 60% will be booked this year. (Kao Hoon, 8/6/18)
GUNKUL will ask shareholders on June 28 to approve the acquisition of a stake in FEC for no more than Bt650mn. It has backlog worth Bt700mn, which is expected to generate revenue of Bt100mn per year. (Kao Hoon, 8/6/18)
HMPRO expects sales to grow more than 5% this year and same-store sales )SSS) growth of 3.1%. It plans to open a new store in June. It plans to hold roadshows in Hongkong and Singapore. (Thun Hoon, 8/6/18)
Comment: It’s all about the margins for this company, revenue growth is minimal at best but its their product mix shift that has been a successfully executed strategy
JAS is paying a dividend of Bt0.3/share for 1Q18, equivalent to 5% dividend yield. XD is on June 21. (Kao Hoon, 8/6/18)


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Daimler will cut out traditional parts makers in order to fund a software development push that will involve hiring thousands of coders to build an operating system that rivals Tesla’s.
The Mercedes-Benz owner would buy fewer electronic components and “replace supplier development costs with personnel, building and computing costs”, Ola Kallenius, the company’s chief executive, told the Financial Times.
“Down the road, once we have gotten farther in this endeavour, I believe we could actually operate at a lower fixed cost level,” the Swedish boss added.
“We will pay less money to suppliers and then employ people in other places.”
The German group, which is in the middle of a painful restructuring as it struggles to pay for a late foray into electric vehicles, wants to own more of the complex technology that powers modern cars.
“We want to have one comprehensive operating system that goes from our


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Sony Ericsson just wrapped up their Mobile World Congress press conference here in Barcelona and they’ve had a lot of cool excitements. Aside from folks being able to actually play with the Xperia Play today, they’ve announced the Xperia Neo. It’s not the most exciting looking smartphone, but it’s just another punch in the 1-2 combo they’ve brought to the industry. Be on the lookout for our hands-on content with this and – of course – the Xperia Play.
Fuente: Android Phone Fans


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Why is Lorraine Lam waiting in line for two hours at a tony Hong Kong mall to buy the same Nutella spread that grocery stores sell for much less?
So she can get her friend’s name on the label. Nutella’s pop-up store in the Pacific Place center is swamped with customers willing to spend $HK80 ($10) for a 350-gram (12-ounce) jar of the hazelnut confection with a personalized touch. The Ferrero SpA brand is selling almost 1,000 jars a day from its counter.
“I rarely go to the mall because I need to take a one-hour bus ride to get here,” said Lam, a 21-year-old university student. “But this time it’s worth coming.”
With retail sales in Hong Kong declining for 16 straight months, brands such as Nutella and Havaianas are capitalizing on falling rents to open temporary outlets in some of the city’s high-end shopping districts. At the same time, anchors such as Nike Inc. are trying to generate more traffic by “popping up” in front of mall walkers with new or limited-edition products.
“Retailers are trying more aggressively to adjust to changing consumer demand by providing more ‘special’ and better-quality products,” said Angel Young, managing director of market researcher Nielsen Hong Kong and Macau. “Pop-up stores bring new excitement to customers.”


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Publishers, librarians and others in the children’s book industry are still waiting for resolution on a number of questions that will determine how they can comply with the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). Pending issues include protocols for lead and phthalate testing, which would affect publishers of novelty and book-plus titles; guidance on tracking labels, which are required for all children’s books; and information on how schools and libraries should comply with the law, especially with regard to older books.
In addition, the industry is still hoping for an outright exemption for ink-on-paper and ink-on-board books. A stay of enforcement in February covers most "ordinary" books printed after 1985, which are considered safe enough that the Consumer Product Safety Commission will not go after publishers or retailers who sell them (even if they end up containing lead, as long as no one knew about it). However, state Attorneys General could still prosecute if they so choose.
An important step came last week when President Obama nominated two new CPSC commissioners, Inez Moore Tenenbaum, who would replace Nancy Nord as chair, and Robert S. Adler. In addition, Obama proposed increasing CPSC’s budget to $107 million, 70% higher than 2007 levels, and said he wanted to add two additional commissioners later this summer, expanding the Commission to five seats.
It is not yet known what position Tenenbaum and Adler, if confirmed, will take on books and the CPSIA, but an uneasy relationship between Nord and members of Congress has been one barrier to moving forward on implementation of the Act.
"We are hopeful that with a Democratic majority on the commission, and with increased funding, they will be able to do their job and let us know how we can be in compliance with the law," says Emily Sheketoff, executive director of the American Library Association’s Washington office. "The job of the commission is to be clear about what libraries should do to comply. And they need to do something now, because whatever they decide, it will take time for us to implement it." The full lead-testing provisions of the Act go into effect in February 2010.
One area of immediate interest for publishers: the tracking labels that will be required on children’s products starting this August. These would pinpoint the source of each book (e.g., the print run and the manufacturer), which would aid in a recall and give consumers a way to get more information about a product if they’re worried about its safety. The tracking labels would be required for all children’s books, not just the novelty titles for which the Act’s lead provisions will be enforced.
The CPSC has not yet issued guidelines on the form these tracking labels should take and has been seeking public comment, including from the publishing industry. "We argue that published books come with information on the copyright page that allows people to identify the year and place of publication," says Allan Adler, v-p for legal and government affairs at the American Association of Publishers. This fact differentiates books from the myriad other products for children 12 and under that are covered by the Act. "We hope the Commission doesn’t take a one-size-fits-all approach."
Click here to see our timeline of previous CPSIA coverage.


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Deep tech — the generic term for technologies not focused on end-user services that includes artificial intelligence, robotics, blockchain, advanced material science, photonics and electronics, biotech and quantum computing — has been an identified category for investment as long as the tech industry itself.
But as with many other sectors, it has found itself in and out of favor depending on the wider climate. In the years when mainstream tech adoption started to take off, under-the-radar deep tech became even more obscure as big-ticket apps and other services and gadgets popular with consumers received all the limelight.
Now, with “winners” in that bigger category climbing to new heights — it’s hard to imagine anyone replacing Facebook, Google, Apple or Amazon anytime soon, even as other apps grow in niche popularity — the enthusiasm of taking bets on consumer startups has leveled off. Coupled with that, investors are again looking at startups focused on a more diverse set of technologies that solve hard problems, which might prove to be the levers of instrumental change.
Those trends have contributed to a rising interest in deep tech, with investments in the wider category growing 20% annually between 2015 and 2018, culminating in nearly $18 billion of investment, according to a 2019 report from Boston Consulting Group.
One measure of the enthusiasm in the space is the activity of VCs who focus on deep tech. Last month, Tel Aviv-based Grove Ventures, which funds companies spanning Europe and beyond, closed a $125 million fund to back deep-tech startups and is already raising another fund of the same amount. Firms that Grove has backed include fabless IoT semiconductor startup Wiliot, API marketplace RapidAPI, autonomous vehicle startup TriEye, next-generation manufacturing startup 3DSignals and a number of startups still in stealth.


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Residents are flocking to a home in The Villages for a perfect holiday photo opportunity.
Daniel and Suzanne Reich set up the display at their home at 6005 Yancey St. in the Village of Cason Hammock.
What they have created is a social media sensation with residents lining up for a beautiful holiday photo.
“Everyone is stopping in and taking advantage of this beautiful photo op,” said Suzanne Reich. “It’s so pretty at night!”
Check out the gallery below:
Are you ready for the holidays? Have you decked the halls? Is your pet dressed up and ready to go? Share your holiday photos at firstname.lastname@example.org


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Madigan Alleges Defendant Demanded Upfront Payments to Promote Events that Never Occurred
Chicago —(ENEWSPF)—September 24, 2018
By: Rosemary Piser
Attorney General Lisa Madigan filed a lawsuit last week against Lee R. Martin, of Richton Park, Ill. The lawsuit filed in Cook County Circuit Court, alleges that Martin promised people he would produce concerts, parties and other events in exchange for large upfront payments. He also requested upfront payments for investment and sponsorship opportunities for fake events he claimed he was producing. Madigan alleges Martin defrauded at least 12 consumers out of nearly $40,000.
In addition to requesting down payments, Madigan alleges Martin lied about his qualifications. When the date of a supposed event neared, Madigan alleges Martin would become unresponsive to the point at which the event would be canceled. Consumers would then seek refunds that Madigan alleges Martin never provided.
Attorney General Madigan said, “Mr. Martin stole money from people from around the country by falsely promising to produce significant events like birthday parties, a book event or a fashion show. This defendant must be held accountable for his scam.”


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Sony Computer Entertainment mentioned at its pre-TGS conference recently that it will be showing a number of titles in playable form at the upcoming Tokyo Game Show, including sure-to-be hits like Bloodborne and The Order: 1886. What it didn’t initially specify was whether or not Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain would also bring a playable demo to the show floor. Today, Konami revealed via its official TGS site that though MGS V will indeed appear, it will be in the form of a new video and hands-off presentation. In other words, still no gameplay for show-goers.
The new footage is slated to appear via a stage presentation, and if it’s anything like past MGS reveals, it’s going to be thoroughly impossible to predict how juicy what Konami has planned will or won’t be. We could be treated to an entirely new level, abilities, or previously-announced features and footage. Or, it could be yet another run-through of Afghanistan, completed a slightly different way, with some more swimsuit model gags on top. As far as we know, it’s completely up in the air.
Kojima is known for his tricks (as evidenced by his recent P.T. demo turned Silent Hills reveal), so it’s too soon to write off a lack of hands-on gameplay as a bad sign for Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. Still, other games that have been revealed more recently are already playable, so there may be other forces at play. Could Kojima’s renewed discouragement at Grand Theft Auto V‘s HD re-imagining have something to do with it? Fine by me if so — competition is good for the consumer, and games are no exception.


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Park Bogum Got a New Campaign for [Kakao Page]... It is Better Than All the Previous Versions
/ 10 Apr, 2018
Park Bogum has released a new CF for 'Kakao Page'!
As you might have known, the actor has been the model of the brand since February 2017 and now, a new CF version has been released. The new version of the CF promotes 'Kakao Page x Marvel Studio.' Park Bogum casually sits in a fancy room, with his signature boyfriend look.
In the 30-second commercial film, Park Bogum talks to the camera, making viewers feel that the actor personally talks to them. He promotes several films from 'Marvel Studio' which will all be available in the app starting from April 14th.
It seems like you don't need any further explanation but to watch yourself the new CF above, right? Enjoy!
Source: [Youtube] 카카오페이지
Thumbnail Credit: Youtube '카카오페이지' Screenshot


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WASHINGTON – March 20, 2014 – (RealEstateRama) — Home prices continued to show solid growth in most of the country due to limited inventory conditions, but rising prices and severe winter weather caused existing-home sales to slip in February, according to the National Association of Realtors®.
Total existing-home sales1, which are completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, declined 0.4 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.60 million in February from 4.62 million in January, and 7.1 percent below the 4.95 million-unit level in February 2013. February’s pace of sales was the lowest since July 2012, when it stood at 4.59 million.
Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said conditions in February were largely unchanged from January. “We had ongoing unusual weather disruptions across much of the country last month, with the continuing frictions of constrained inventory, restrictive mortgage lending standards and housing affordability less favorable than a year ago,” he said. “Some transactions are simply being delayed, so there should be some improvement in the months ahead. With an expected pickup in job creation, home sales should trend up modestly over the course of the year.”
The median existing-home price2 for all housing types in February was $189,000, which is 9.1 percent above February 2013. “Price gains have translated into an additional $4 trillion of housing wealth recovery over the past three years,” Yun added.
Distressed homes3 – foreclosures and short sales – accounted for 16 percent of February sales, compared with 15 percent in January and 25 percent in February 2013.
Eleven percent of February sales were foreclosures, and 5 percent were short sales. Foreclosures sold for an average discount of 16 percent below market value in February, while short sales were discounted 11 percent.
Total housing inventory4 at the end of February rose 6.4 percent to 2.00 million existing homes available for sale, which represents a 5.2-month supply at the current sales pace, up from 4.9 months in January. Unsold inventory is 5.3 percent above a year ago, when there was a 4.6-month supply.
The median time on market for all homes was 62 days in February, down from 67 days in January and 74 days on market in February 2013. Short sales were on the market for a median of 94 days in February, while foreclosures typically sold in 60 days and non-distressed homes took 61 days. Thirty-four percent of homes sold in February were on the market for less than a month.
According to Freddie Mac, the national average commitment rate for a 30-year, conventional, fixed-rate mortgage declined to 4.30 percent in February from 4.43 percent in January; the rate was 3.53 percent in February 2013.
First-time buyers accounted for 28 percent of purchases in February, up from 26 percent in January, but down from 30 percent in February 2013.
NAR President Steve Brown, co-owner of Irongate, Inc., Realtors® in Dayton, Ohio, said student debt appears to be a factor in the weak level of first-time buyers. “The biggest problems for first-time buyers are tight credit and limited inventory in the lower price ranges,” he said. “However, 20 percent of buyers under the age of 33, the prime group of first-time buyers, delayed their purchase because of outstanding debt. In our recent consumer survey, 56 percent of younger buyers who took longer to save for a downpayment identified student debt as the biggest obstacle.”
Brown notes the survey results are for recent homebuyers. “It’s clear there are other people who would like to buy a home that are not in the market because of debt issues, so we can expect a lingering impact of delayed home buying,” Brown added.
All-cash sales comprised 35 percent of transactions in February, up from 33 percent in January and 32 percent in February 2013. Individual investors, who account for many cash sales, purchased 21 percent of homes in February, compared with 20 percent in January; they were 22 percent in February 2013. Seventy-three percent of investors paid cash in February.
Single-family home sales edged down 0.2 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.04 million in February from 4.05 million in January, and are 6.9 percent below the 4.34 million-unit level in February 2013. The median existing single-family home price was $189,200 in February, up 9.0 percent from a year ago.
Existing condominium and co-op sales declined 1.8 percent to an annual rate of 560,000 units in February from 570,000 in January, and are 8.2 percent below a year ago. The median existing condo price was $187,900 in February, which is 9.8 percent above February 2013.
Regionally, existing-home sales in the Northeast fell 11.3 percent to an annual rate of 550,000 in February, and are 12.7 percent below February 2013. The median price in the Northeast was $237,800, up 1.5 percent from a year ago.
Existing-home sales in the Midwest declined 3.8 percent in February to a pace of 1.00 million, and are 12.3 percent below a year ago. The median price in the Midwest was $140,900, which is 8.6 percent higher than February 2013.
In the South, existing-home sales rose 1.5 percent to an annual level of 1.98 million in January, but are 0.5 percent below February 2013. The median price in the South was $163,400, up 8.3 percent from a year ago.
Existing-home sales in the West rose 5.9 percent to a pace of 1.07 million in February, but are 10.1 percent below a year ago. The median price in the West was $279,400, up 18.0 percent from February 2013.
The National Association of Realtors®, “The Voice for Real Estate,” is America’s largest trade association, representing 1 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.
# # #
NOTE: For local information, please contact the local association of Realtors® for data from local multiple listing services. Local MLS data is the most accurate source of sales and price information in specific areas, although there may be differences in reporting methodology.
1Existing-home sales, which include single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, are based on transaction closings from Multiple Listing Services. Changes in sales trends outside of MLSs are not captured in the monthly series. NAR rebenchmarks home sales periodically using other sources to assess overall home sales trends, including sales not reported by MLSs.
Existing-home sales, based on closings, differ from the U.S. Census Bureau’s series on new single-family home sales, which are based on contracts or the acceptance of a deposit. Because of these differences, it is not uncommon for each series to move in different directions in the same month. In addition, existing-home sales, which account for more than 90 percent of total home sales, are based on a much larger data sample – about 40 percent of multiple listing service data each month – and typically are not subject to large prior-month revisions.
The annual rate for a particular month represents what the total number of actual sales for a year would be if the relative pace for that month were maintained for 12 consecutive months. Seasonally adjusted annual rates are used in reporting monthly data to factor out seasonal variations in resale activity. For example, home sales volume is normally higher in the summer than in the winter, primarily because of differences in the weather and family buying patterns. However, seasonal factors cannot compensate for abnormal weather patterns.
Single-family data collection began monthly in 1968, while condo data collection began quarterly in 1981; the series were combined in 1999 when monthly collection of condo data began. Prior to this period, single-family homes accounted for more than nine out of 10 purchases. Historic comparisons for total home sales prior to 1999 are based on monthly single-family sales, combined with the corresponding quarterly sales rate for condos.
2The median price is where half sold for more and half sold for less; medians are more typical of market conditions than average prices, which are skewed higher by a relatively small share of upper-end transactions. The only valid comparisons for median prices are with the same period a year earlier due to a seasonality in buying patterns. Month-to-month comparisons do not compensate for seasonal changes, especially for the timing of family buying patterns. Changes in the composition of sales can distort median price data. Year-ago median and mean prices sometimes are revised in an automated process if additional data is received.
The national median condo/co-op price often is higher than the median single-family home price because condos are concentrated in higher-cost housing markets. However, in a given area, single-family homes typically sell for more than condos as seen in NAR’s quarterly metro area price reports.
3Distressed sales (foreclosures and short sales), days on market, first-time buyers, all-cash transactions and investors are from a monthly survey for the NAR’s Realtors® Confidence Index, posted at Realtor.org.
4Total inventory and month’s supply data are available back through 1999, while single-family inventory and month’s supply are available back to 1982 (prior to 1999, single-family sales accounted for more than 90 percent of transactions and condos were measured only on a quarterly basis).
Realtor.com®, NAR’s listing site, posts metro area median listing price and inventory data at: www.realtor.com/data-portal/Real-Estate-Statistics.aspx.
The Pending Home Sales Index for February will be released March 27, and existing-home sales for March is scheduled for April 22. The annual Investment and Vacation Home Buyers Survey will be published April 2; all release times are 10:00 a.m. EDT.
Media Contact: Walter Molony / 202-383-1177


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MDV Vs THA | Match 3 Jun 26, 2019
MDV 18/0 (2.2)
Latest News on Just Saying
Showing of 0 - 10 from 8 results
Just Saying - Total results - 8
Feb 21, 2014
Tesla CEO reportedly confirms meeting with Apple but declines to confirm acquisition talkArray
Feb 20, 2014
Will Apple buy Telsa Motors and launch an iCar?With $158.8 billion in cash on its balance sheet, Apple certainly has the money to buy Tesla, which has a market cap of about $24 billion.
Nov 13, 2013
The government shouldn't ban porn websites: Here's whyMy hope is that our government and judiciary will realise the value of pornography and also that we as a society will hold on to porn’s ability to promote social cohesion among all hormonal Indians as it negotiates its shift from an analogue to a more digital environment. I for one cannot wait to watch some on Google Glass.
Feb 13, 2013
Kingfisher Air's logical end accentuates Mallya's illogical lifeBankers had given the credit on brand Kingfisher, which unfortunately is strong only on the calendar and the beer now.
Feb 11, 2013
Businessworld answers Weekly Vs Fortnightly questionThe writing was on the wall. Businessworld has chosen to see it. Others will, as well. What's next? News magazines?
Feb 13, 2012
The tragedy of Whitney Houston: A modern-day Sahib, Bibi aur GhulamWhitney was no Amy Winehouse. She was undone instead by her husband, Bobby Brown, turning to drugs to hold on to an insecure, unfaithful husband.
Dec 21, 2011
FB misery: the six most annoying Facebook freaksFacebook brings out an alarming range of bizarre behaviour, from the bemusing to the outright crazy. Here are our all-time top six crazy-making FB types.
Oct 25, 2011
Anna Hazare says... way too much!Not a day goes without Anna issuing a statement or posting to his blog — and this despite a recent vow of silence. And his words reveal a leader out of step with the demands of modern-day leadership – at the national level, and perhaps even in his own village.


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The 2020 Auto Expo gave us a glimpse of a host of new SUVs that are set to be launched in India this year. However, with the coronavirus outbreak, the auto industry, along with the entire nation, had to slow down its activities for a few months. Now, with Lockdown 4.0 easing restrictions and a considerable decline in COVID-19 cases in select parts of India, several automakers have resumed their production and retail activities. Of course, they have done so in accordance with the local guidelines. The auto industry is gradually moving towards normalcy, and soon, we will be seeing several new launches in the market. And here are the top 4 SUVs that will be launched in India this year, under ₹ 20 lakh.
First showcased at the 2020 Auto Expo in its near-production guise, the Kia Sonet is one of the much-anticipated launches for this year. The Sonet will be a sub-4-metre SUV and Kia's answer to the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Hyundai Venue, Mahindra XUV300 and Tata Nexon. Expected to be launched in India towards to end of 2020, the upcoming Sonet will borrow its styling cues from its bigger sibling, the Kia Seltos, while the powertrains will be borrowed from its cousin, the Hyundai Venue.
So, the engine options will include an 82 bhp 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, a 99 bhp 1.5-litre diesel engine, which is incidentally borrowed from the Seltos, and a 118 bhp 1.0-litre GDi turbo petrol engine. Transmission options will include a 5-speed manual, a 6-speed manual and a DCT automatic. The SUV is also expected to come with Kia UVO connected car technology and it will be priced in the range of ₹ 7 lakh to ₹ 12 lakh rupees (ex-showroom).
Skoda too is gearing up to launch a new SUV in India, and it is none other than the long-anticipated Karoq. The spiritual successor to the Skoda Yeti, the Karoq is part of Skoda-led Volkswagen Group's SUV offensive for the Indian market, which was kickstarted with the launch of the Volkswagen Tiguan AllSpace and T-Roc. Built on the versatile MQB platform, the India-spec Skoda Karoq will only come with a 1.5-litre, TSI turbo petrol engine, which comes mated to a 7-speed DSG automatic transmission as standard. The engine is tuned to make 148 bhp and 250 Nm of peak torque.
Also Read: Skoda Karoq First Drive Review
The Skoda Karoq will come to India as a completely built unit (CBU) model as part of the 2500 units that carmakers are allowed to import without homologation. Thus, it will be offered in only one variant, with all the bells and whistles, and will be sold in limited numbers. However, this also means that the carmaker will be able to price its competitively, and we expect the price tab to be just under ₹ 20 lakh mark. The SUV is slated to be launched on May 26.
MG Hector Plus
Next up is the much-awaited MG Hector Plus, the six-seater version of the popular compact SUV. Unveiled at the 2020 Auto Expo, it is set to become the first three-row SUV to be launched by the Chinese-owned British car brand in India and the MG Hector Plus' biggest highlight will be the addition of two captain seats in the second row. MG Motor India says that the Hector Plus is just an extension of the existing models, and in addition to some minor cosmetic changes like an updated grille and front bumper, and revised taillamps, the SUV will also get new interior and updated features.
Initially slated to be launched in April, due to the COVID-19 lockdown, the company had to postpone the launch of the Hector Plus, as of now the SUV is expected to go on sale in June 2020. The Hector Plus will get the same 2.0-litre diesel and the 1.5-litre petrol engine with mild-hybrid technology. The SUV will come with a six-speed manual gearbox and possibly an automatic option for the latter. In terms of pricing, we expect the SUV to be priced between ₹ 16.50 lakh to ₹ 20 lakh (ex-showroom).
Tata Motors too is bringing in a three-row SUV this year, and the company has christened it the Tata Gravitas. Based on the Tata Harrier, the new SUV will be a seven-seater model, powered by the same 2.0-litre diesel engine tuned to make 168 bhp and 320 Nm of peak torque, while mated to a 6-speed manual and an automatic torque converter transmission.
Visually, the Tata Gravitas looks similar to the Tata Buzzard concept, which was showcased at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. Initially, the SUV was slated to be launched in the first half of 2020, however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant lockdown, the launch has now been postponed, and we would expect Tata to launch it around the festive season. The SUV is expected to be priced in India from ₹ 17 lakh to ₹ 20 lakh (ex-showroom).